I wear them every time I ride. The wind just kills my ears otherwise.

 

I wear them every time I ride. The wind just kills my ears otherwise.

I do too, as long as I intend to go over 35 mph. The wind noise can actually take a toll on your ability to remain alert. It doesn't make you sleepy, but it takes away from your ability to recognize other things that you need to see/hear/feel.

 

Earplugs help me think better....

Seriously, I'll start focusing on the hum of the wind through my helmet strap and it'll drive me nuts after a while... like having a song stuck in your head.

After being on a ride for several hundred miles over several days, my face was *sore*... I later realized it was my inner ear throbbing, and it hurt to sleep on the right side of my face. That's when I bought some earplugs... There is a direct correlation to me wearing the plugs and not being sore, and forgetting the plugs and having an ear-ache.

 

Thanks for the input; looks like I'm off to the store for one more purchase before my trip.:biker:

 

Earplugs also work well when driving in the car with wifey :hidesbeh:

 

I only wear them on a longer trips at speed. When I first put them in, what I noticed the most was I couldn't hear my pipes as well and was maybe slipping the clutch a little to avoid stalling. Kind of like dulling the senses a little?

 

plugs

Bonketi; "don't care who ya are now thats funny":rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :notworth: :notworth:

 

I wear them on long rides, but I haven't found a pair of store boughts that I've been able to keep up with. I custom make mine. Take a 1/4 of a napkin, chew it up, and pop it in. Use the white napkins. I once got a bad ear infection using those brown paper towels.

 

I often plug Etymotic ER6p earphones into my pocket Nuvi GPS, whether or not the GPS is on. They block about as much noise as earplugs and I find them more comfortable. I bought some of those fitted earplugs at a bike show, but for me they get uncomfortable quickly.

 

I used to wear them but than ithought, "hell if i am riding in silence i might as well have entertainment, so i replaced them with Noise Cancelling earbuds on my Ipod ( the ones Apple gives you are crap) and every ride is now better. $49 at best Buy.

 

Wind noise will make you deaf.

 

What?

 

Double post

 

I work in a loud shop environment, and I wear earplugs contantly. Gotta keep what little hearing I have left. The only problem there is is keeping them clean. Dirty ones irritate your ear canal and can give you an outer ear infection. An itchy ear canal will drive you nuts :tmbsdow:
I always wear them when riding. If I don't, my ears ring after being on the freeway for any time. It also helps separate sounds, making it easier to hear other noises over the wind. I always carry an extra pair, I'd hate to be without them.

Plus it gives me some use for that little pocket on my t-shirts and the little "secret stash" pocket in my jeans.

 

No plugs on a long ride at speed = Hours of ear ringing from Rineharts.... they are stupid loud!

Really short rides: 0 plugs
Short rides: 1 plug (right ear only)
Long Rides: MP3 with Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphones

 

Huh? Can you speak up?

I've noticed that my hearing is starting to get worse since I've started riding more, and longer distances. I enjoy riding with plugs if I'm going over 45 mph or longer than 15 minute ride. It's not worth loosing my hearing over if simple ear plugs can help.

 

yes i wear ear plugs on long rides... but dont forget to look behind you before changing lanes as the car behind cannot be heard and has been closer than expected !

 

Yes, was a neccessity with the FAIC pipe & ESPECIALLY if I was riding with Smoothrod & those Bub pipes!! :laugh:

 

Ear plugs will also cut down on fatigue on long rides.

 

If I'm going to go over 40 I wear ear plugs, I keep sets in all my riding gear as well as my jeans. I use the bright orange ones, sorta cone shaped, they're super comfortable. I use em in the jeep as well on long trips with the top down.

 

I went on a 200+ mile ride on Sunday with two other bikers and we all agreed that next time we'll all be wearing ear plugs. This was the first time I ever noticed the wind bothering me, but this was also the longest highway riding I've done on the V.

 

You guys wearing earplugs, what kind of helmets are you wearing?

 

Even with the earplugs, wind noise can be loud with no helmet. The plugs are about a 20db drop (in the real world), so 90mph wind noise at 120db is dropped to 100db at the ear. OSHA says you really need to limit your 100db exposure.

So, on long trips, I try to stay on roads where I can go 60-65mph, like side roads. Running on I-40 or I-44 at 90mph makes my ears sore, even with the plugs.

 

So where is the best place to get some quality ear plugs?

 

Wind noise will make you deaf.

RJ, you took my post. Having a daughter with a severe hearing loss I treasure my hearing a whole lot more now. Please where ear plugs especially if you don't have a helmet on. The decibel level of wind noise WILL cause damage over time.

Mike